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These statistics are based on electronic card transactions during October 2009. Figures are seasonally adjusted unless otherwise stated. See the technical notes for industry descriptors.

Changes in the value of transactions (compared with September 2009) were as follows:

Total electronic card transactions were flat(up 0.2 percent).

Transactions in the retail industries were flat(down 0.2 percent).

Transactions in the core retail industries were down slightly(0.4 percent).

By industry group, the largest increases were in automotive fuel retailing, non-retail, and durables.

The actual (not seasonally adjusted) value of transactions in the core retail series was up2.8 percent from October 2008.

After adjusting for seasonal effects, the value of electronic card transactions in core retail (which excludes the motor vehicle-related industries) fell slightly in October 2009, down 0.4 percent compared with September 2009. The value of transactions in the retail industries was comparatively flat, down just 0.2 percent in October 2009. The main contribution to both falls came from the consumables industry (down 0.7 percent).

The total value of electronic card transactions was also comparatively flat, up just 0.2 percent in October 2009. The industries with the largest increases were automotive fuel retailing (up 1.7 percent), non-retail (up 0.8 percent), and durables (up 0.5 percent).

Trends for the value of transactions in the total, retail, and core retail series have all been increasing since January 2009. The trend in total transactions has been rising at an average monthly rate of 0.4 percent since then, while core retail has risen at an average of 0.3 percent. For the retail series, latest figures indicate the trend may have picked up in the last three months.